Trouser creasing device



April 9 J.,J, GETGEY TROUSER CREASING DEVICE .Filed June 26. 1943 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 9, 1946 TROUSER 'CREASIN DEVICE Empire Products, Inc.,

poration of Ohio Application June 26, 1943,

1 Claim.

construction, means blades to facilitate their fabric to be handle. The these same for spreading the engagement with the creased, a heating element and a presentinvention includes all of elements but certain improvements portion of the assembly in which the heating element is enclosed. In the structure of the present invention this problem has been overcome by enclosing the heating element in the interior of a handle formed from plastic or some similar material having heat insulating qualities.

way all, or of the heat generated no possibility of the operator burning himself through accidental contact with some portion of it and no necessity for providing a separate insulating element for protecting the heating element and confining the heat.

Another objection to structures of the type of the Bollman patent resides in the construction and positioning of the manually operated blade spreading means. In the Bollman structure the spreading operation is accomplished through the manipulation of an extended projection on one In this ati, Ohio, assignor to Cincinnati, Ohio, a cor- 7 Serial No. 492,443.

In general, a generally more attractive structure has been provided.

The device of the present invention includes certain other advantages at a later point in this specification.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment" of the invention:

Figure 1' is a side elevation of the creasing device. l

Figure 2 is a similar view with a side handle element removed to illustrate more clearly the arrangement and operation of the mechanism for spreading the blades.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 33, Figure 2, with the blades in closed posi tion.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the blades in open position.

Figure 5is an enlarged sectional view along the line 5-5, Figure 2, particularly illustrating the positioning of the heating element and the spring element which returns the blades to closed position.

Referring again to the drawing fora further and more detailed description of the device, particularly as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, two op posed handle elements of slightly different configuration are designated as l0 and H. In the completed assembly these handle elements may be tightly secured together as by the screws l2. The pair of blades which perform the creasing operation have been designated respectively as I3 and I l. The blade I3 has its upper edge rolled to form the cylinder IS in which the heating element is enclosed. The leaf M has a rounded portion 16 adapted to engage around the cylinder 15 as indicated generally in Figures 3 and 4. A finger 11 formed on th upper edge of the blade M extends upwardly into a recess I8 in the handle. Both blades are flared outward slightly at their outer edges to facilitate the introduction of the article to be creased between the blades.

The handle elements I0 and H which may be formed from plastic or similar material having heat insulating qualities have longitudinal grooves in the inner surfaces thereof which grooves are complementarily disposed to form a bore [9 for the reception of the cylinder l5 formed on the upper surface of the leaf I3. The recess l8 into which the finger I! extends may be interconnected with this bore.

A cross bore 2E! traverses the handle from one side to the other and interconnects in the interior with the recess I8. Inserted in this cross bore is a push button 2i, an outer edge of which, extends from the handle at a convenient point for thumb manipulation (see Figures 3 and 4). This push button has a vertical notch 22 formed centrally therein. The finger ll of the blade I4 engages in this notch so that lateral movement of the push button pivotally actuates the blade I! from closed to open position. A return spring 23, which may be a small strip of spring metal or the like, at its lower extremity engages the rounded portion of the blade M. The upper extremity of the spring may be seated in a recess 24 in one of the handle elements and held firmly in place by the opposed handle ele ment.

As the push button is actuated laterally for moving the blade I4 to open position, the spring '23 becomes tensioned and returns the blade M to closed position after the pressure on the push button has been relaxed. When the device has been fully assembled as in Figure 1 the spring 23 is completely concealed by the handle elements and does not form an unsightly projection as in similar devices of this type. In order to facilitate the tensioning of the spring under the outward movement of the blade I4, a clearance 25 is provided in the handle bore I9 between the outer surface of the cylinder l5 and the sides of the bore. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 5.

The wires 26 which transmit the current to the heating element may be encased in the narrow bore 21 in the handle. This narrow bore extends "from the main bore 19 to the outward extremity of the handle as shown in Figure 2. The heating element 28 which may be of a conventlonal type is positioned in the cylinder IS. The blade l3 may be tightly secured to the handle element H by the screw 29 which is inserted through the handle element I'l into the wall oi. the cylinder I5. This prevents relative movement between the upper extremities of the blades and the inner surface of the bore 26 when the blades are in closed position as in Figure 5.

In the operation of the device the user grasps the handle in the conventional way and presses the push button which, as previously stated, is conveniently disposed adjacent the normal position of the users thumb. With the blades spread as in Figure 4, the edge of the crease or material to be creased is engaged and pressure on the push button is relaxed so that the material may be secured between the blades. The device is then moved forward and back over the edges of the material until the desired crease has been formed. after which the push button is again pressed and the device removed from the crease.

It will be noted that by encasing the heating element first in the cylinder I3 and second, between the handle elements, a high degree of insulation is provided which materially assists the conduction of heat from the heating element to the blades. At the same time, all danger of the operator being burned through contact with the heating element is obviated.

The elimination of all projections from the handle greatly improves the appearance of the device and renders it easier to package and to handle. Because of the simplicity of the construction the assembly problem is definitely simplified and upkeep difliculties resulting from the wearing or breakage of parts is practically eliminated.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a creasing device of the type comprising a pair of adjacent complementary blades, one fixed and one movable, a cylinder disposed adjacent the upper edge of the fixed blade for housing a heating element, the movable blade having a rounded portion adjacent its upper edge for engagement with the outer surface of the cylinder to provide a pivotal connection between the blades and having a projection extending from its upper surface, a heating element enclosed in the cylinder and'a'handle; means .for spreading the blades to open position; said means comprising apush button laterally disposed in a cross bore trav' ersing the handle at a point'adjacent the normal thumb position of a user grasping said handle. said push button having a notch therein for engagement with the projection on the movable blade, whereby as pressure is exerted on said push button :the outer edge or the movable blade will beipivotally tilted away from the fixed blade.

JOHN J. GETGEY. 

